Gourmet Food Gifts that Give Back

If trends like nose-to-tail dining are any indication, culinary connoisseurs also tend to be conscious of their global impact. These gourmet gifts go beyond what can be put under the tree and save you the harrowing task of holiday hunting.

It can be difficult to shop for finicky foodies who always follow the latest and greatest food movements. If trends like grassfed beef, free-range eggs, and nose-to-tail dining are any indication, culinary connoisseurs also tend to be conscious of their global impact. From supporting local start-ups to donating nourishing meals to hungry children, these gourmet gifts go beyond what can be put under the tree and save you the harrowing task of holiday hunting.
Absolutely surrounded by foodies? Our holiday gift guide has sure-to-please presents for all of them.

Fearless Chocolate, 7 Bar Sampler

Fearless Chocolate, 7 Bar Sampler

Fearless Chocolate founder, Jordan Michael Schuster, speaks with fiery conviction about the story-telling possibilities of chocolate, and after tasting one of his unique bars, so will you. The Brazilian farmers with whom Schuster works have found a way to grow cocoa without pesticides, potentially profitizing rainforests and saving them from deforestation. Fearless Chocolate even donates 1 percent of annual profits to "changemakers" nominated by its customers. Sounds like the perfect excuse to savor and share some superfood-inspired chocolate! Find out more about their impact here.

Fearless Chocolate, 7 Bar Sampler

Fearless Chocolate founder, Jordan Michael Schuster, speaks with fiery conviction about the story-telling possibilities of chocolate, and after tasting one of his unique bars, so will you. The Brazilian farmers with whom Schuster works have found a way to grow cocoa without pesticides, potentially profitizing rainforests and saving them from deforestation. Fearless Chocolate even donates 1 percent of annual profits to "changemakers" nominated by its customers. Sounds like the perfect excuse to savor and share some superfood-inspired chocolate! Find out more about their impact here.

Love with Food Subscription

Gifting a Love with Food subscription to a friend or family member will give them a foodie fest in a box. Each month, a box stuffed full of gourmet goodies is delivered and a meal is donated to a hungry child through national food banks. The recipient can then order their favorites snacks from the box online for discounted rates and accumulate points to put toward future snacks. Learn more about their impact here.

Hot Bread Kitchen, Global Bread Box

Hot Bread Kitchen's breads are just that, hot. Every day they fly off of local shelves only to be replaced the next day, fresh and fragrant. The company's Global Bread Box is the perfect holiday table centerpiece. It's inspired by their workers — foreign-born and low-income women from an array of different backgrounds. Adding this multi-ethnic element to your feast helps HBK train their workers and foster local NYC start-ups out of their kitchens. Find out more here.

Gallo Family Vineyards Wine

Gallo Family Vineyards is giving you another reason to toast the season this holiday break. For every cork you collect and send in, from Merlot to Muscato, a $5 donation will be made to Meals on Wheels, ensuring seniors don't needlessly go hungry. Look for bottles with pre-stamped and addressed envelopes and be sure to cheers to charity. Click here to learn all the details.

Compartés Chocolatier, Chocolates for a Cause

If you're looking to get a "wow!" when the wrapping paper comes off, look no further. These caramels really make an impact — visually and philanthropically — making them the perfect sweet surprise for a friend or family member. Proceeds help Relief International fight hunger and malnutrition in Darfur and the included bracelet is made by local African women. Find out more about the effort of Relief International here.

Stonewall Kitchen, Savory Gift Basket

Candy canes, cookies, and pies are wonderful until the holidays start winding down and you're on major sugar overload. Give your foodie friends a break from the sugar onslaught with this basket from Stonewall Kitchen. It's packed with savory standouts like chutney, red pepper jelly, and roasted garlic jam. Five percent of proceeds are donated to different agencies, like the New Hampshire SPCA, to support adoption, education, and the shelter of animals. Find out more here.

Dancing Deer Baking Company, Sweet Home Pick

As you head home for the holidays, bring a gift that can help give the same experience to someone else. Dancing Deer Baking Company uses 35 percent of the proceeds from its entire Sweet Home line to fund efforts to establish a sustainable solution to homelessness, one family at a time. Homeless parents are given college scholarships to put them back on the road to providing their families with a truly precious place to call home. The Sweet Home Pick includes one delicious Dark Chocolate Sweet Home Project House Cookie, their Deep Dark Gingerbread Cake, and 16 festive Molasses Clove Cookies. Find out more about their impact here.

Runa Guayusa Tea

If your foodie friends craves coffee, it might be time to introduce them to guayusa tea. Packed with as much energizing caffeine power as a cup of coffee and with a much smoother taste, it's a winner even before you factor in the company's environmental impact. Runa bolsters the Ecuadorian Amazon by working to build an economic foundation for families and their communities. Stuff a stocking with their boxes or mix and match their products to create your own gift sampler that does some global good. Find out more here.

Women's Bean Project, Soup Lover's 6 Soup Bundle

Nothing embodies winter comfort like wrapping your frosty fingers around a simmering bowl of soup. Even foodies can't make soup stock from scratch all the time, and with the wide variety of savory flavors in this bundle, they might not want to. All Women's Bean Project products are made by women striving to break out of the all-too-ensnaring cycle of poverty. Besides providing immediate income, the organization trains their workers, supports each of their efforts to gain a GED, and empowers them to embrace independence. Find out more here.